Externsteine
N 51°52.134', E 8°55.025'
2012-10-13, 2018-10-13
Our rating: 7.60
Overall rating: - Rate this place - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Externsteine is called "German Stonehenge". It's a chain of sandstone cliffs in the Tevtonburg forest about one kilometer long and 70 million years old. The most interesting part is near the lake, where five 40-50-meter cliffs are located on the forest edge.
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Archaeologists made excavations at the site and found some items aged 12,000 years. It is assumed that these cliffs held religious ceremonies of ancient Celts or Germans. But no one can know for sure. Documented history of the cliffs tells us that the "Third Reich" used this place for newcomers of SS and was looking for signs of "Aryan ancestors." Heinrich Himmler approved the use of the cliffs as one of the "holy places" of SS and allocated funds for research, which brought no sensations.
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
In XVIII century, Externsteine received particular scholarly attention. There was a theory that Herminsul, the Saxon pagan shrine, a symbol of the World Tree used to stand here. It is assumed that the wooden pillar dedicated to their god was destroyed in 722 by order of Charles the Great during Christianization of Germanic tribes.
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
There's a chamber at the top of the tallest cliff. There is some kind of altarstone that could be used for sacrifices. Directly above the altarstone a circular hole is cut into the wall, facing the direction of sunrise at the time of summer solstice.
Altar or observatory? ©Yuriy Buriak
Scientists believe that the cliffs are located on the intersection of earth energy flows and those who enter the altar feel a surge of positive energy, euphoria, warmth, and respiratory depression. While we have our own point of view regarding this phenomenon. Even for us, the young athletic people, it was difficult to go up a steep 40-meter staircase. In addition, the wind is stronger on the top. Therefore it's absolutely logical that after going into the niche each person feels warm and starts breathing slowly. Besides, it's a gorgeous place: the forest, the lake, the cliffs, so why should we feel negative energy?
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Observation deck on one of the Externsteine cliffs ©Yuriy Buriak
Steep staircase ©Yuriy Buriak
View from the top ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
On the most visible place is a bas-relief with a scene of removal of Jesus Christ from the cross. It dates back to 1150 and is one of the most important Roman era sculptures in Germany.
Bas-relief with a scene of removal of Jesus Christ from the cross ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
Window in the altar ©Yuriy Buriak
Externsteine ©Yuriy Buriak
This thing scared us in the forest =) ©Yuriy Buriak
Getting there: By tourist bus #792 that cruises between Bad Pyrmont and Detmold . It pulls up to all tourist sites along the way, including Externsteine. Check out the schedule and map of its route here . You can reach the sight by regular buses from Detmold or other cities nearby; look for timetables on bahn.de or kvg-lippe.de . We arrived early in the morning to the Horn-Bad Meinberg train station and walked about 3 kilometers. There is a cash desk near the entrance, but since we got there early in the morning, nobody was there: neither employees nor tourists. You need a ticket only if you want to get on the top of the cliffs.
Tags, Germany: ecological trail , forest , height , rocks Tags, all countries: ecological trail , forest , height , rocks
- Rate this place -
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - A small town with a poor transport links 4 - Not far from human settlements, can be reached only by car 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - Photograph does not make sense or object in the reconstruction 2 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 3 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 4 - Interfere with foreign objects 5 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 6 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 7 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 8 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 9 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists 10 - A heavenly place, always perfect weather, no tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Our rating - 7.60
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - A small town with a poor transport links 4 - Not far from human settlements, can be reached only by car 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - Photograph does not make sense or object in the reconstruction 2 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 3 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 4 - Interfere with foreign objects 5 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 6 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 7 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 8 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 9 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists 10 - A heavenly place, always perfect weather, no tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help
Visitor's rating - 0.00
Location : ------------ 1 - Far beyond the settlements, you must spend minimum a day 2 - Near the small town, you need to walk long distance 3 - A small town with a poor transport links 4 - Not far from human settlements, can be reached only by car 5 - Outside the settlements, but with excellent transport links 6 - A small town with excellent transport links 7 - Medium-size city 8 - Suburb of the capital or major city, the ability to reach by public transport 9 - Big city 10 - Capital
Impressions : ------------ 1 - No point in visiting 2 - Boring, wasted time 3 - You can visit, if you have a lot of free time and nothing better to do 4 - A lot of things, but not so interesting 5 - It seems to be interesting, but hard way to spoil the impression 6 - There is something interesting, but the rest is not worth the attention 7 - Probably interesting, but for everybody 8 - Very cool, but difficult to see everything and long-distance trails 9 - Very cool, but there are similar facilities in other locations 10 - Very cool, this is not anywhere else
Number of tourists (weekend afternoon) : ------------ 1 - Crowds, impossible to see everything normally 2 - A lot of tourists, a long wait 3 - A lot of tourists, the organization is lame 4 - A lot of tourists, but good organization 5 - There are many tourists, but they are concentrated in one place and you can walk freely 6 - Many tourists everywhere, but the large space is compensated 7 - The average number of tourists. To photograph, you must wait 8 - Tourists are, but they do not interfere 9 - There are few tourists 10 - You are alone
State : ------------ 1 - Only title left 2 - Dull ruins 3 - On restoration 4 - The picturesque ruins 5 - Have not been restored, the state is poor 6 - Partially destroyed, but the rest of the normal state 7 - Have not been restored, good condition 8 - OK, but it is possible to make better 9 - Looks good from the outside, partial repair inside or without repair 10 - In excellent condition, well-groomed area
Picturesque (for the photographer) : ------------ 1 - Photograph does not make sense or object in the reconstruction 2 - Horrible background, normal pictures only from the top 3 - wires and cars do not allow make normal photo 4 - Interfere with foreign objects 5 - In the city, but more or less normal photo can be made 6 - Beautiful, but you can take pictures with just one point 7 - Very nice, but you can only shoot at a certain time 8 - Very nice, but hard to get to the good weather or permanently interfere with tourists 9 - Very nice, but occasionally interferes with the weather or tourists 10 - A heavenly place, always perfect weather, no tourists
* - Note: Description of the evaluation is not always appropriate for a particular object, it's just a little help